Brown Strikes Out Seven to Spearhead Sugar Land's Series-Clinching Win
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys (25-18) scored runs in four-straight innings from the second to the fifth, including a two-run fourth, to clinch the series over the Reno Aces (21-22) with a 5-4 win on Friday night at Constellation Field. Friday’s victory also pushed Sugar Land’s winning streak to nine
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys (25-18) scored runs in four-straight innings from the second to the fifth, including a two-run fourth, to clinch the series over the Reno Aces (21-22) with a 5-4 win on Friday night at Constellation Field. Friday’s victory also pushed Sugar Land’s winning streak to nine games.
The Aces broke through in the second with a two-out RBI double from Cristian Pache as the Space Cowboys fell behind, 1-0. Later in the inning, Reno loaded the bases, but RHP Aaron Brown (W, 1-5) fanned Jorge Barrosa to retire the side.
Reno’s lead did not last long as Jesús Bastidas deposited a 3-1 fastball into the seats in left as Sugar Land tied the game at one on the third baseman’s solo shot, his sixth home run of the campaign.
Jesús Bastidas extends his on-base streak with AUTHORITY pic.twitter.com/tffdsrlKTg
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 17, 2025
Brown settled in during the third as he made quick work of Reno with a 1-2-3 frame on ten pitches and then posted a scoreless fourth.
Quincy Hamilton roped a line drive into the right-field corner for a lead-off double in the bottom half of the third before Zack Short legged out an infield single, putting runners on the corners with nobody out. Jacob Melton’s productive groundout plated Hamilton as the Space Cowboys took a 2-1 advantage.
Luis Guillorme walked and Tommy Sacco Jr. singled in the home half of the fourth, putting two on with nobody out before Kenedy Corona’s sacrifice bunt moved them into scoring position. Joe Hudson extended the Sugar Land lead to 4-1 with a two-RBI double off the left-field wall on an 0-2 breaking ball to score both runners.
+2 courtesy of Hudy! pic.twitter.com/ayFAa9NcQb
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 17, 2025
Melton lasered a double the other way in the fifth and came around to score with two outs due to an error from Blaze Alexander as the Space Cowboys stretched their lead to 5-1.
LHP Blake Weiman relieved Brown in the sixth but exited after two outs and the bases loaded. RHP Logan VanWey (H,2) came on and walked in a run before Jake McCarthy’s two-RBI double made it a 5-4 game.
The first two Reno runners reached in the seventh and a wild pitch put them into scoring position with nobody out. However, VanWey stranded them by striking out two-straight batters before inducing a groundout to Bastidas at third.
RHP Nick Robertson (H,4) entered in the eighth and set the Aces down in order on nine pitches to preserve the 5-4 lead.
RHP Luis Contreras (S,3) took the ball in the ninth and closed out the win including capping the night off with a two-out strikeout of Andy Weber.
NOTABLE:
Tommy Sacco Jr. picked up a single and a run on Friday, as he has reached base safely in 10 of his last 12, going 13-40 (.325) with two doubles, a home run, six RBI and eight runs scored.
Jesús Bastidas homered on Friday extending his hitting streak to nine games, which is the longest hitting streak from a Space Cowboy this season. In his last 18 games, Bastidas is 21-for-63 (.333) with five doubles, four homers, 16 RBI, eight walks and 18 runs scored. Bastidas has also recorded an RBI in eight of his last nine games.
After missing three weeks with an injury, Jacob Melton picked up his first RBI since April 17 against the Las Vegas Aviators with a productive groundout in the third. Melton doubled twice in Friday’s game, his first game with two doubles since September 1, 2024 against the Salt Lake Bees.
Aaron Brown registered seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work, his first game at the Triple-A level with seven strikeouts and his first game with seven or more strikeouts since August 23, 2024 with the Corpus Christi Hooks. Brown’s five innings was also his longest outing of 2025 and tied a Triple-A high after throwing 5.0 innings on September 6, 2024 against the Oklahoma City Comets.
Luis Guillorme took two walks on Friday, his fifth-multi walk game in his 35 games played this season.
With 10 strikeouts on Friday, the Sugar Land pitching staff has combined for double-digit punchouts in seven of their last eight games, with 91 over their last eight contests.
The Space Cowboys are currently on a nine-game winning streak, the longest in franchise history.
Game five of the Space Cowboys’ six-game series against the Reno Aces commences on Saturday at 6:05 pm CT. RHP AJ Blubaugh toes the rubber against RHP Yilber Diaz. The game can be seen live on the Bally Sports Live App or MLB.TV and can be heard anywhere at SLSpaceCowboys.com. Season Memberships for the 2025 Space Cowboy season, including Full and Partial Season membership plans, can be purchased online here.
ABOUT THE SUGAR LAND SPACE COWBOYS:
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros and compete in the Pacific Coast League. They are the reigning Pacific Coast League Champions and Triple-A National Champions. They began playing as the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate in 2021 and began playing under the Space Cowboys brand in 2022. The Space Cowboys play at Constellation Field, located at the corner of Hwy-6 and US-90 Alternate in Sugar Land, Texas. Follow the team on Twitter (@SLSpaceCowboys), Instagram (@slspacecowboys), Facebook (SLSpaceCowboys), and their official website (slspacecowboys.com). Fans can purchase full-season and partial-season plans for 2025 by visiting slspacecowboys.com/tickets.